To Deanna
by moonlitelm
Summary: A story for my friend Deanna. Kyle and Eric are adults, living in New York. Kyle surprised Eric, with a thoughtful Christmas gift.


To my lovely Deanna who has been with my fiction since I started writing South Park. I love the picture you made me, and I wanted to do something for you. When you mentioned how much you'd love this scenario, I instantly wanted to write it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Z

Eric entered the Karma Cafe, lips quirking at the familiar jingling of door bells. He eagerly welcomed the warmth from inside, after walking fifteen minutes in the crisp winter air. Absently he ran a hand over his head, dispersing the snowflakes that clung to him. Long ago he had stopped wearing hats, even though this time of year always reminded him of life in South Park. After wiping his shoes on the snow mat at the front door, he walked across the small cafe to his usual table.

Eric sat on the sofa, fingers brushing over a familiar knick in the table. He had made it the first time he had been to the cafe, years ago. The woman behind the counter poured a cup of strong black coffee, which he delivered to Eric with a gentle smile. Seeing him every Friday for the last five years, his usual was as easy to remember as her own.

He mumbled a thank you, taking a small sip of the delicious warmth, feeling it settle in his stomach and spread the heat throughout him. His hand rose of their own accord, undoing his plain black jacket. It was slipped off and settled to the side. Despite it being a two person couch, he knew that his friend would sit across from him, rather than beside. He didn't bother looking up when the door bells sang their tune for a second time.

Less than a minute later the chair across from him was pulled out. A long, thin body settled into it and scooted it forward once more. The newcomer thanked Denise, the woman behind the counter, when she settled his tea in front of him. Milk, no sugar.

Eric had asked him forever ago, why he didn't use sweetener. Apparently, his friend didn't enjoy the fake chemical-like taste. Despite him being allowed to have a bit of sugar, he preferred not to add it to everything his body took in. Force of habit, probably from living with his mother for so damn long.

"You're quiet today." Kyle said softly, head resting in his hands. He peered at Eric from behind black rimmed glasses, mouth dipped into a soft frown. He looked concerned, and Eric smiled internally, thinking that the Jew was probably trying to analyze him. Kyle analyzed everyone.

"I remember a time when you complained that I talked too much." Eric spoke finally, eyes dancing with mirth. Kyle rolled his eyes, flashing the other man a smile.

"That was a long time ago Eric."

If either Stan or Kenny had still been around, they probably would have both died of a heart attack. Kyle never called Eric by his first name – in fact, the only one who ever had had been Butters. To everyone else the fatass had simply been Cartman.

"I guess." Eric replied. It had been a long time ago, and most everything from then had been forgiven or forgotten. The things that were neither were simply not spoken of. What they had now was good, and neither of them wanted to ruin what had taken their entire lives to achieve.

"Well what's wrong? Usually you're going on about something or other." Kyle mused, taking another sip of his tea. He leaned back in the smoky grey chair, one hand rising to curl around the end of his ponytail. During puberty, the curls had calmed down. It still took Kyle half an hour every morning to get the worst of the ringlets out, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when he was a child. He had grown it out for the simple purpose of being able to tie it back. High school hadn't allowed them to wear hats inside.

Eric had changed a lot too. Still a wide, broad male he had lost the fatness that childhood at presented him with. He stood at a solid six foot two, and weighed in at over two hundred pounds. He had started watching what he ate though, when an aunt of his became diabetic due to her overwhelming obesity. He didn't want to have to poke himself with needles every day, so he had made the choice to change.

Now he sat across from Kyle, massive and wearing a pristinely pressed suit, the hair at the sides of his face thinning just the faintest bit. Kyle openly admitted to himself that Eric had become quite attractive as he grew into himself. He knew as well, that another professor at the university had been chasing after Eric for months, despite knowing that he wasn't straight by any means.

"Thinking about work." Eric said softly. Kyle started faintly, and reeled his mind backwards. Ah, right. He had asked a question. The silence between them had been so deep, the redhead had actually forgotten...

"What about work?" He leaned forward, letting Eric know that he was interested in hearing about it.

"Just the usual. If I had have known how stressful it was to teach a class full of people who always want to hand things in late, or miss tests, I would have been a better student through University." At Kyle's raised eyebrow, Eric grinned, "You're expected to be a prick in high school."

Kyle snorted and leaned back again, eyes rolling.

"I just wanna smack them all in their faces and tell 'em to respect mah authoriteh" He drew his voice out lazily, chuckling when Kyle shook his head.

They finished their drinks in silence, although it wasn't uncomfortable. It used to be, when they first started doing this – thing. They would sit, both of them twitching, palms sweating, nervous to say the wrong thing. Both of them had calmed down since then, learned that finding things to talk about was as easy as flicking on a light switch. Kyle was intelligent enough to talk about more or less anything, and Eric was sneaky enough to pick hot topics.

When they were done Kyle took the empty cups and tossed them in the recycling, while Eric paid for their drinks. Kyle had paid last time, and every week they switched. "Where to?" Asked the Jew once they were back out in the frigid winter air.

"My place I guess. Nothing's open right now." Eric bumped companionably into Kyle, hand sliding down to give him a small thwack in the bum when he just stood there. Kyle's eyes flashed and he gave Eric's a pinch, dancing out of reach.

The bus ride to Eric's was only half an hour. They had stood huddled near the back doors of the crowded transit, speaking softly to each other and trying to keep away from the hordes of people. The hordes of people who sometimes slipped up, and touched Kyle from behind. His thin figure was often mistaken for womanly, especially when he wore such loose clothes.

Eric unlocked the front door, watching Kyle as he removed his boots and coat. It was the usual ritual. Kyle had become so accustomed to being at Eric's house, that he knew the place of everything almost as good as Eric himself.

They moved into the kitchen where Kyle instantly went to make two cups of steaming hot cocoa. Eric wandered off to the fridge, pulling out a cupcake tray of...something. Kyle went to peek and got a 'tsk tsk', in return. He was shooed back to the kettle while Eric popped the tray into the oven, turning it up higher than he probably should of.

Half an hour later found them sitting on the living room floor, in front of the fire place. It has been a gas one, but he had changed it to electric when Kyle had mentioned the gas being bad for the environment.

They both had many compromises in their lives.

Kyle made a content noise as his teeth sunk into one of the treats Eric had made. They were miniature pumpkin pies that tasted of autumn and falling leaves. He had declined the whipped cream Eric had offered, knowing the other man was going to indulge himself that night.

Belly warm from the cocoa and delicious little pies, Kyle stretched out along the floor. The fire place, while not using real flames, had lights in it to give the impression that it was in fact real. Eric watched the light the fake flame casts flicker over the Jew's thin body. He was snuggled into one of Eric's sweaters, much too small to even partially fit into it. He looked like he was drowning in the grey fabric, even as his nose nuzzled forward into a sleeve, eyes drooping with pleasure.

Eric lay down beside him, hand sliding up to stroke ginger locks behind a pierced ear. They watched each other for a while, snacks and drinks forgotten. Eventually Kyle sat up, staring down at his long time friend.

Eric rolled onto his back so he could stare up at Kyle. He gave a smile when the Jew began to lean down, and then released a small breathy sigh when chocolate flavoured lips brushed over his own.

"You taste like whipped cream" Kyle whispered, arms folding over Eric's chest so he could lay partially on top of the larger man. He closed his eyes when a strong hand settled on the back of his head, tugging his hair band out with a gentleness that would have shocked many. Fingers twirled through the curly mess, stroking the soft strands. They followed Kyle's hair when the Jew sat up again, refusing to release their prize.

"Merry Christmas Eric..." He mumbled, setting a small box on Eric's chest. Eric stared down at it, heart warming as he pressed a kiss to Kyle's forehead.

"I love you."

Z

When the holidays finished, Eric showed up in class with a smile as opposed to his usual frown. On his wrist sat a silver watch, the engraved words hidden against his wrist. He stroked a finger over the clock face, eyes softening as the words, 'To Eric. With Love Always, Kyle' flittered through his mind.

Z

I hope you like it lady. I actually am very pleased with how this turned out ^^


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